Africa's only commercial nuclear power station, the Koeberg Power Station in South Africa, experienced three separate incidents of airborne radioactive contamination in early July 2026 following a loss of power to ventilation units during maintenance work.
Three incidents in eight days
The contamination events occurred on June 30, July 2, and July 7, 2026, inside the plant located about 25 miles north of Cape Town. South Africa's National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) confirmed on Thursday that no radioactive material escaped into the environment, and all contamination was contained within the facility, posing no danger to the public.
According to the NNR, there was elevated airborne radioactive contamination when power was lost to ventilation units during maintenance. Workers inside the plant who may have been exposed were screened and recorded contamination levels below that of a dental X-ray.
Regulator says no emergency classification
The NNR stated that while further inspections are ongoing, the incidents did not meet criteria for classification as a nuclear or radiological incident or emergency, and resulted in no off-site radiological consequences.
Koeberg, commissioned in the 1980s during apartheid, has two reactors generating about 5% of South Africa's electricity. It is operated by the state-owned utility Eskom. The reactors recently received 20-year life extensions, allowing operation until after 2040.
Nuclear expansion plans
South Africa plans to expand its commercial nuclear capacity to support its unreliable, coal-heavy energy grid. Other African nations, including Egypt, are also pursuing nuclear power. Egypt is building its first nuclear plant with four Russian reactors, expected to generate about 10% of its electricity by 2030, according to the World Nuclear Association.
